Aaron

Santos

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Nottingham is one of the best cities in the UK for students. It’s got the best of both worlds. It has the energy of a capital city with the intimacy of a small one.

More about Aaron

Why did you choose the School of Social Sciences / Nottingham Trent University?"I chose to study in the School of Social Sciences at Nottingham Trent University because of its incredible reputation as a department in one of the UK’s top universities."

What do you feel is the best aspect about studying at the School of Social Sciences?"The best thing about studying in the School of Social Sciences is the support they have given me for both academic and post-university life. I did not only find the academic support events that would be organised extremely beneficial, I also found the careers events that were hosted on a very regular basis an excellent opportunity to network with world leading experts in the politics industry."

What do you think about Nottingham as a city for students?"There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Nottingham is one of the best cities in the UK for students. It’s got the best of both worlds. It has the energy of a capital city with the intimacy of a small one. The city centre is beautiful, and shops, restaurants and night clubs are all in abundance. One of my favourite things however was going regularly to watch mega-concerts at the Motorpoint arena which was just 10 minutes away from campus."

Can you explain a little about your course?"Studying Politics and International Relations here at Nottingham Trent University was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I absolutely loved the course. In particular, I really enjoyed the Political Violence and Terror module which explored the study of terrorism in great detail. Studying at NTU has given me the ability to develop a transferable critical mindset which will no doubt be extremely useful in the future."

"One of the highlights of my time at NTU was definitely when the Rt Hon Kenneth Clark QC MP came to speak about his political career, particularly his tenure as the United Kingdom’s Chancellor of the Exchequer. It was definitely a seminar I will never forget."

Do you get involved with any other activities in the School of Social Sciences?"Yes, I did. The School of Social Sciences' organised an alternative events week where they would hosted relevant but extra-curricular events. Through this we had the opportunity to visit the Houses of Parliament, have seminars with leading politicians as well as hosting debates with other universities on controversial topics – it was so much fun!"

How does the School of Social Sciences provide you with support, advice and guidance?"The School of Social Sciences at Nottingham Trent University has provided me with crucial academic support. In particular, I remember when I had to write my first academic essay the School organised events which assisted me with Harvard referencing, which was extremely useful. Additionally, in my final year when the reality of the dissertation started to kick in, the School organised lectures and provided one-to-ones on how to write a good literature review and how to write an excellent abstract which proved to be very helpful and made my dissertation journey that little less stressful."

How has the School of Social Sciences influenced your future plans or career aspirations?"The School conducted workshops which helped me with my CV and career planning but most importantly, through the Succeed with Social Sciences programme, they invited leading companies in the world of politics who were willing to recruit students from Nottingham Trent University. Not only did this provide me with an excellent networking opportunity, it also introduced me to political industries which I did not even know existed and where having a degree in politics would be extremely beneficial."

What advice would you give to students considering studying at the School of Social Sciences?"My main bit of advice would be to take advantage of all of the events that are organised by the School of Social Sciences throughout the year. Sometimes, the events that you think will not be of much use end up being the most useful so attend as many as you possibly can. Also, take advantage of the careers and employability team at the School as they can help you with CVs, assessment centres, job interviews and much more."